{"id":243852,"date":"2020-12-10T17:18:40","date_gmt":"2020-12-10T22:18:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/?post_type=document&p=243852"},"modified":"2021-10-15T10:33:52","modified_gmt":"2021-10-15T14:33:52","slug":"general-assembly-adopts-draft-resolutions-decisions-from-fourth-committee-including-texts-on-middle-east-press-release-ga-12299-excerpts","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/general-assembly-adopts-draft-resolutions-decisions-from-fourth-committee-including-texts-on-middle-east-press-release-ga-12299-excerpts\/","title":{"rendered":"General Assembly Adopts Draft Resolutions, Decisions from Fourth Committee, Including Texts on Middle East – Press Release (GA\/12299) (Excerpts)"},"content":{"rendered":"
SEVENTY-FIFTH SESSION,\u00a0<\/span>41ST MEETING (PM)
\nGA\/12299
\n10 DECEMBER 2020
\n<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

Fran\u00e7ais\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

Upon the recommendation of its Fourth Committee\u00a0(Special Political and Decolonization), the General Assembly adopted 34\u00a0draft resolutions and 3\u00a0draft decisions today, on questions ranging from the Israeli\u2011Palestinian conflict and decolonization to the effects of atomic radiation and the peaceful uses of outer space.<\/p>\n

The Assembly adopted the resolution \u201cAssistance to Palestine refugees\u201d by a recorded vote of 169\u00a0in favour to 2\u00a0against\u00a0(Israel, United States), with 7\u00a0abstentions\u00a0(Cameroon, Canada, Kiribati, Madagascar, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau).\u00a0 By that text, the General Assembly expresses grave concern at the difficult situation of Palestine refugees under occupation, in particular those in the Gaza Strip, underlining the importance of assistance and urgent reconstruction efforts in the blockaded enclave.\u00a0 The Assembly calls upon all donors to continue strengthening their efforts to meet the anticipated needs of the Â鶹APP Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East\u00a0(UNRWA), including for recent emergency, recovery and reconstruction appeals and plans for Gaza, as well as regional crisis response plans to address the situation of Palestine refugees in Syria.<\/p>\n

It went on to adopt the resolution \u201cOperations of the Â鶹APP Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East\u201d by a recorded 162\u00a0votes in favour to 4\u00a0against\u00a0(Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, United States), with 9\u00a0abstentions (Australia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Guatemala, Kiribati, Madagascar, Malawi, Nauru, Solomon Islands).\u00a0 By that text, the General Assembly expresses deep concern about the Agency\u2019s critical financial situation, noting that contributions have been neither predictable nor sufficient to meet its growing needs.\u00a0 As such, the Assembly stresses the need for further efforts to comprehensively address UNRWA\u2019s recurrent funding shortfalls, while also commending its measures to address the financial crisis, such as implementing the Medium Term Strategy and various internal measures.<\/p>\n

Further by that text, however, the Assembly also expresses profound concern that, despite those steps, the UNRWA\u2019s programme budget, funded primarily through voluntary contributions from Member States and intergovernmental organizations, faces persistent shortfalls, increasingly threatening the Agency\u2019s core programmes.\u00a0 By other terms, the Assembly calls upon Israel to ensure the expedited and unimpeded import of all necessary construction materials into Gaza and to reduce the burdensome cost of importing UNRWA supplies.\u00a0 It also calls upon donors to ensure early annual voluntary contributions, less earmarking and multi\u2011year funding.<\/p>\n

The Assembly also adopted the draft \u201cPalestine refugees\u2019 properties and their revenues\u201d by a recorded vote of 160\u00a0in favour to 5\u00a0against\u00a0(Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Nauru, United States), with 12\u00a0abstentions.\u00a0 By that text, the General Assembly requests that the Secretary\u2011General take all appropriate steps to protect Arab properties, assets and property rights in Israel.\u00a0 Further, it calls upon Israel to render all facilities and assistance to the Secretary\u2011General in the resolution\u2019s implementation, and upon all parties concerned to provide the Secretary\u2011General with any pertinent information concerning such property in Israel.\u00a0 Moreover, the Assembly urges the Palestinian and Israeli sides, as agreed between them, to deal with the important issue of Palestine refugees\u2019 properties and their revenues within the framework of final\u2011status peace negotiations.<\/p>\n

In another recorded vote, the Assembly narrowly adopted the resolution \u201cWork of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories\u201d, by 76\u00a0in favour to 14\u00a0against, with 83\u00a0abstentions.\u00a0 By its terms, the General Assembly requests that the Special Committee continue to investigate Israeli policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, especially violations of the Geneva Convention.\u00a0 It also requests that the Special Committee regularly submit periodic reports on the situation to the Secretary\u2011General and continue to investigate the treatment and status of prisoners and detainees.<\/p>\n

The Assembly then adopted the resolution \u201cIsraeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the occupied Syrian Golan\u201d, by a recorded vote of 150\u00a0in favour to 7\u00a0against\u00a0(Canada, Israel, Hungary, Liberia, Marshall Islands, Nauru, United States), with 17\u00a0abstentions.\u00a0 By that text, the General Assembly condemns acts of violence, destruction, harassment, provocation and incitement by Israeli settlers in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and calls upon Israel to accept the de jure applicability of the Geneva Convention and comply with all of its obligations under international law. \u00a0Moreover, it demands that Israel comply with its legal obligations, as mentioned in the advisory opinion rendered on 9\u00a0July\u00a02004 by the International Court of Justice.<\/p>\n

Taking up the resolution \u201cIsraeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem\u201d, the Assembly adopted it by a recorded vote of 147\u00a0in favour to 10\u00a0against (Australia, Canada, Guatemala, Hungary, Israel, Liberia, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, United States), with 16\u00a0abstentions.\u00a0 By its terms, the General Assembly demands that Israel cease all practices and actions violating the human rights of the Palestinian people, including the killing and injury of civilians, the arbitrary detention and imprisonment of civilians, forced displacement, and any obstruction of humanitarian assistance, among other things. \u00a0It also demands that Israel comply fully with the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention and cease all settlement activities, construction of the wall and any other measures aimed at altering the character, status and demographic composition of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.<\/p>\n

The Assembly then adopted the resolution \u201cThe occupied Syrian Golan\u201d by a recorded vote of 151\u00a0in favour to 3\u00a0against\u00a0(Israel, Liberia, United States), with 20\u00a0abstentions.\u00a0 By that text, the General Assembly calls upon Israel to comply with the relevant resolutions and to desist from changing the physical character, demographic composition, institutional structure and legal status of the occupied Syrian Golan, and in particular to desist from establishing settlements.\u00a0 Further, it calls upon Israel to desist from imposing Israeli citizenship and identity cards on Syrian citizens in the occupied Syrian Golan.<\/p>\n

\/…<\/p>\n

Action on Draft Resolutions<\/u><\/p>\n

\/…<\/p>\n

The Assembly went on to adopt \u2014 by a recorded vote of 169\u00a0in favour to 2\u00a0against\u00a0(Israel, United States), with 7\u00a0abstentions\u00a0(Cameroon, Canada, Kiribati, Madagascar, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau) \u2014 the draft resolution \u201cAssistance to Palestine refugees\u201d (document\u00a0A\/C.4\/75\/L.9<\/a>).\u00a0 By that text, the Assembly expresses concern about the negative implications of the severe financial crisis affecting the Â鶹APP Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East\u00a0(UNRWA) for the continued delivery of its core programmes. \u00a0By further terms, the Assembly calls upon all donors to continue to strengthen their efforts to meet the Agency\u2019s anticipated needs, including with regard to increased expenditures and needs arising from conflicts and instability in the region, and from the serious socioeconomic and humanitarian situation. \u00a0The Assembly also invites India to become a member of the Agency\u2019s Advisory Commission.<\/p>\n

The Assembly then took up the draft \u201cOperations of the Â鶹APP Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East\u201d\u00a0(UNRWA, document\u00a0A\/C.4\/75\/L.10<\/a>), adopting it by a recorded 162\u00a0votes in favour to 4\u00a0against (Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, United States), with 9\u00a0abstentions (Australia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Guatemala, Kiribati, Madagascar, Malawi, Nauru, Solomon Islands). \u00a0By that text, the General Assembly expresses deep concern over UNRWA\u2019s critical financial situation, caused by its structural underfunding as well as rising needs and expenditures resulting from the deterioration of socioeconomic and humanitarian conditions.\u00a0 It notes that contributions have not been predictable enough or sufficient to meet growing needs and remedy persistent shortfalls, which were exacerbated by the 2018\u00a0suspension of contributions from the Agency\u2019s largest single voluntary donor.<\/p>\n

By other terms, the Assembly commends UNRWA\u2019s measures to address the financial crisis, including by implementing the Medium Term Strategy for 2016\u20112021 and various internal steps to contain expenditures, reduce operational and administrative costs, maximize the use of resources and reduce funding shortfalls.\u00a0 However, it expresses concern about plans and measures to interfere with or obstruct the Agency\u2019s operations, including in East Jerusalem, contrary to international law and the Convention on the Safety of Â鶹APP and Associated Personnel.<\/p>\n

Further by that text, the Assembly commends the Agency\u2019s important role throughout its areas of operations in helping to prevent and contain the spread of COVID\u201119. \u00a0Moreover, the Assembly expresses its grave concern over attempts to discredit UNRWA despite its proven operational capacity and consistent implementation of its mandate.<\/p>\n

The Assembly urges Israel, by other terms, to expeditiously reimburse UNRWA for all transit charges incurred and other financial losses sustained as a result of delays and restrictions on movement and access imposed by that country.\u00a0 Moreover, it calls upon Israel to cease obstructing the Agency\u2019s movement and access, and to cease levying taxes, extra fees and charges.<\/p>\n

Adopting the draft \u201cPalestine refugees\u2019 properties and their revenues\u201d (document\u00a0A\/C.4\/75\/L.11<\/a>), by a recorded vote of 160\u00a0in favour to 5\u00a0against\u00a0(Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Nauru, United States), with 12\u00a0abstentions, the Assembly requests that the Secretary\u2011General take all appropriate steps to protect Arab properties, assets and property rights in Israel.\u00a0 Further, it calls upon Israel to render all facilities and assistance to the Secretary\u2011General in implementation of the present resolution.\u00a0 Moreover, the Assembly urges both the Palestinian and Israeli sides to deal with the important issue of Palestine refugees\u2019 properties and their revenues within the framework of final\u2011status peace negotiations.<\/p>\n

The Assembly narrowly adopted the draft resolution \u201cWork of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories\u201d (document\u00a0A\/C.4\/75\/L.12<\/a>), by a recorded vote of 76\u00a0in favour to 14\u00a0against, with 83\u00a0abstentions.\u00a0 By that text, the General Assembly reiterates its demand that Israel cooperate with the Special Committee and requests that the latter continue to investigate Israeli policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, especially its violations of the Geneva Convention.\u00a0 Moreover, it requests that the Special Committee continue to investigate the treatment and status of thousands of prisoners and detainees, including children, women and elected representatives, in Israeli prisons and detention centres in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.<\/p>\n

By other terms, the Assembly requests that the Secretary\u2011General provide the Special Committee with all necessary facilities, including those required for its visits to the Occupied Palestinian Territory.\u00a0 It also requests that the Assembly continue to task the Office of the Â鶹APP High Commissioner for Human Rights\u00a0(OHCHR) with assisting the Special Committee in the performance of its tasks.<\/p>\n

The Assembly then adopted the draft \u201cIsraeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the occupied Syrian Golan\u201d (document\u00a0A\/C.4\/75\/L.13<\/a>), by a recorded 150\u00a0votes in favour to 7\u00a0against (Canada, Israel, Hungary, Liberia, Marshall Islands, Nauru, United States), with 17\u00a0abstentions.\u00a0 By its terms, the General Assembly condemns Israel\u2019s settlement activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as violations of international humanitarian law.\u00a0 It deplores, by other terms, Israel\u2019s construction and expansion of settlements in and around occupied East Jerusalem, including its so\u2011called E\u20111 plan, which aims to connect its illegal settlements and further isolate occupied East Jerusalem.\u00a0 The Assembly further deplores ongoing settlement activities in the Jordan Valley, which further fragment and undermine the contiguity of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.<\/p>\n

By other terms, the Assembly condemns Israel\u2019s demolition of Palestinian buildings in the neighbourhood of Wadi al\u2011Hummus, in the village of Sur Bahir, south of occupied East Jerusalem.\u00a0 Moreover, it reiterates its demand for the immediate and complete cessation of all Israeli settlement activities in all the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan.\u00a0 Further, the Assembly demands that Israel comply with its legal obligations, as mentioned in the advisory opinion rendered on 9\u00a0July\u00a02004 by the International Court of Justice.<\/p>\n

Taking up the draft \u201cIsraeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem\u201d (document\u00a0A\/C.4\/75\/L.14<\/a>), the Assembly adopted it by a recorded vote of 147\u00a0in favour to 10\u00a0against\u00a0(Australia, Canada, Guatemala, Hungary, Israel, Liberia, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, United States), with 16\u00a0abstentions.\u00a0 By that draft, the General Assembly urges the parties to observe restraint and to refrain from provocative actions, incitement and inflammatory rhetoric, especially in areas of religious and cultural sensitivity, including in East Jerusalem.<\/p>\n

Also by that text, the Assembly demands that Israel cease all measures contravening international law, as well as discriminatory legislation, policies and actions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory that violate the human rights of the Palestinian people.\u00a0 They include the killing and injury of civilians, the arbitrary detention and imprisonment of civilians, forced displacement and any obstruction of humanitarian assistance.\u00a0 The Assembly also demands that Israel cease all settlement activities, construction of the wall and any other measures aimed at altering the character, status and demographic composition of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including in and around East Jerusalem.<\/p>\n

The Assembly condemns, by further terms, all acts of violence, especially any use of force by the Israeli occupying forces against Palestinian civilians and including against journalists and medical and humanitarian personnel.\u00a0 It also condemns all acts of violence by militants and armed groups against Israeli civilian areas resulting in loss of life and injury.<\/p>\n

Adopting the draft \u201cThe occupied Syrian Golan\u201d (document\u00a0A\/C.4\/75\/L.15<\/a>), by a recorded 151\u00a0votes in favour to 3\u00a0against\u00a0(Israel, Liberia, United States), with 20\u00a0abstentions, the General Assembly calls upon Israel to comply with the relevant resolutions; desist from changing the physical character, demographic composition, institutional structure and legal status of the occupied Syrian Golan; and in particular desist from establishing settlements.\u00a0 Further, it calls upon Israel to desist from imposing Israeli citizenship and identity cards on Syrian citizens in the occupied Syrian Golan.<\/p>\n

Speaking in an explanation of position, the representative of\u00a0Brazil<\/u>\u00a0noted that draft resolution\u00a0L.14 makes reference to holy places in Jerusalem, and suggested that the language of future resolutions should reflect the historical significance and importance of those sites for the three monotheistic religions.<\/p>\n

\/…<\/p>\n

For information media. Not an official record.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SEVENTY-FIFTH SESSION,\u00a041ST MEETING (PM) GA\/12299 10 DECEMBER 2020 Fran\u00e7ais\u00a0 Upon the recommendation of its Fourth Committee\u00a0(Special Political and Decolonization), the General Assembly adopted 34\u00a0draft resolutions and 3\u00a0draft decisions today, on questions ranging from the Israeli\u2011Palestinian conflict and decolonization to the effects of atomic radiation and the peaceful uses of outer space. The Assembly adopted the […]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":172,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"template":"template-page.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"country":[],"document-category":[1329],"document-source":[1365,5618,1913,6169,1817],"committee-meeting":[],"document-subject":[4853,1945,1861,2005,2237,1741,5200,6293,1961,2297,1805,1749,1797,2285,2309,2153,1745,3689,2137,5399,1841],"entity":[1729],"document-language":[6541],"class_list":["post-243852","document","type-document","status-publish","hentry","document-category-press-release","document-source-general-assembly","document-source-general-assembly-fourth-committee-special-political-and-decolonization","document-source-special-committee-to-investigate-israeli-practices","document-source-united-nations-department-of-global-communications","document-source-united-nations-relief-and-works-agency-for-palestine-refugees-in-the-near-east-unrwa","document-subject-absentee-property","document-subject-assistance","document-subject-fourth-geneva-convention","document-subject-gaza-strip","document-subject-golan-heights","document-subject-human-rights-and-international-humanitarian-law","document-subject-humanitarian-relief","document-subject-israeli-practices-affecting-the-human-rights-of-the-palestinian-people-in-the-occupied-palestinian-territory","document-subject-jerusalem","document-subject-land","document-subject-occupation","document-subject-palestine-question","document-subject-peace-process","document-subject-prisoners-and-detainees","document-subject-protection","document-subject-refugee-camps","document-subject-refugees-and-displaced-persons","document-subject-right-of-return","document-subject-settlements","document-subject-wall","document-subject-women","entity-united-nations-system","document-language-french"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/243852","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/document"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/172"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/243852\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=243852"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=243852"},{"taxonomy":"document-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-category?post=243852"},{"taxonomy":"document-source","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-source?post=243852"},{"taxonomy":"committee-meeting","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/committee-meeting?post=243852"},{"taxonomy":"document-subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-subject?post=243852"},{"taxonomy":"entity","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/entity?post=243852"},{"taxonomy":"document-language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-language?post=243852"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}